From CEO to Concubine-Chapter 193: Passage

TW: Graphic descriptions of a violent death

A loud thud startled Yan Zheyun. It took him a second to realise that Liu Yao had slammed his palm down upon the wooden armrest in a rare display of frustration. He watched with bated breath as a myriad of expressions flickered over Liu Yao’s face. On one hand, he was honoured that Liu Yao didn’t feel the need to conceal his feelings from him. On the other, he felt exhausted for Liu Yao, knowing fully well that when his husband stepped outside of this sedan, he was once again emperor and had to tuck these strong emotions away lest he let slip his vulnerabilities to his enemies.

"Have the imperial physicians been sent for?" Unlike the anger on full display before Yan Zheyun’s eyes, Liu Yao’s tone was the epitome of calm. But Yan Zheyun knew that the servants and guards hanging on their emperor’s every word outside were already breaking out in cold sweat.

"In response to Your Majesty," came the hapless door eunuch’s timid response, "t-this servant sent word to the Imperial Medical Bureau before running straight to report this matter..."

Liu Yao sucked in a deep breath.

"You’ve done well."

When Yan Zheyun gently took Liu Yao’s hand in his own, he felt Liu Yao’s hold tighten like he was clinging onto a lifeline. The events of the past few days had already left the emperor on edge as he spearheaded a campaign against an invisible opponent who could have been any of the faces that greeted him in court. Now, to know that there was someone out there whose reach extended so effortlessly into the inner palace, Liu Yao’s home, was the last straw.

"Cao Mingbao."

Head Eunuch Cao didn’t have to be told to know what was expected of him. He stepped forth and gave a curt bow, falling into the rhythm of the Chief of the Eastern Depot without missing a beat.

"This old servant will personally see that all servants of Xueyu Palace are seized immediately and the gates locked down whilst awaiting Your Majesty’s further orders."

Liu Yao made an assenting noise. "In addition, deliver this sovereign’s edict: Captain Cui An is to commence his role as Deputy Commander of the Yulin Army, reporting directly back to this sovereign with immediate effect." He paused for a long moment before adding, "Xiao De, inform Gracious Consort Yao that his presence is expected in Xueyu Palace."

"As Your Majesty wishes."

It was only after Cao Mingbao and Xiao De departed that Liu Yao turned to Yan Zheyun and gave him a wan smile.

"Continue on to Xueyu Palace," he ordered the rest of the entourage.

By the time they reached, chaos had already become the order of the day. First there was Wu Yusi’s mysterious banishment from her chambers and now there was Concubine Hui’s death in her bed. The other lower-ranked concubines who lived here were beside themselves with terror and it showed in their haunted gazes as they knelt shivering in the cold in the main courtyard awaiting the emperor’s arrival.

When Yan Zheyun finally disembarked from the sedan behind Liu Yao, he took one look at the fear on their faces and touched Liu Yao on the arm to draw his attention.

"Your Majesty, please allow this consort to make temporary living arrangements for these younger sisters."

Liu Yao’s expression was stony. He didn’t even glance once their way, just squeezed Yan Zheyun’s fingers briefly before nodding. "This sovereign entrusts this matter to my beloved consort’s good judgment. You are granted permission to discuss the handover with the brocade guard later on."

The brocade guard was being called in to take control of security matters. There were too many noblemen sons in the Yulin Army’s upper ranks that Liu Yao couldn’t rely on them on a good day, let alone one in times as dire as this. Yan Zheyun considered all the implications of having someone meddle in the inner palace like this and had to admit that if he were Liu Yao, his paranoia would have been off the charts by now.

Apart from the Kaiming, over whom Liu Yao had an iron fist hold for reasons unbeknown to Yan Zheyun, who else could they trust?

He gave the momos that formed his part of the entourage instructions to take the concubines in out of the cold before following Liu Yao.

The main chambers of Xueyu Palace were eerily silent once they stepped over the threshold. The servants that should have lined the hallways ready to greet them upon entry were already gone, no doubt a powerful reflection of Head Eunuch Cao’s efficiency.

Standing at the entrance to Imperial Concubine Hui’s bedchambers were two familiar faces that Yan Zheyun hadn’t seen in a while. Imperial Physician Fu Minde, whom Yan Zheyun had discovered was indeed the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, gave them both a deep genuflection as they approached.

"This humble subject greets Your Majesty, greets Imperial Noble Consort Yue." Then, catching sight of Attendant Zhang, who was trailing reluctantly behind with swollen eyes, he added a slight bow. "This humble subject greets Attendant Zhang."

Behind him, Xi Momo’s greeting was far more perfunctory and the mistrustful glint in her eyes quelled Attendant Zhang, who was already trying her best to hide behind Yan Zheyun.

He’d never once asked what Xi Momo’s role in the inner palace was but had an inkling that she was possibly one of the officials of Kaiming...or at least a high-ranking member. As part of Liu Yao’s information network, there was a very good chance that she was aware of Imperial Concubine Hui’s influence over Attendant Zhang in the past and was doubting her credibility.

"Keep your reports succinct," Liu Yao said, pushing past the door and strolling towards the figure lying motionless on the bed. Yan Zheyun heard a sharp intake of breath and sound of someone hitting the ground behind him but he was too distracted by the gruesome scene in front of him to spare any thought for Attendant Zhang.

Cacospectamania. The morbid fascination that prevents the human mind from looking away from a repulsive sight. Yan Zheyun had thought that the deaths of the Wu Siblings were grotesque enough. Those had been like the murders one heard about on crime documentaries and seeing them in person had left him reeling for days after, trying to go about his day with a sense of normalcy and do his best to help Liu Yao solve the mystery so that he could have some peace of mind.

This here in front of him was on a whole other level. Whoever had murdered Imperial Concubine Hui had decided to remove the skin from her back and toss a bloodstained white wolf fur pelt over it instead. Her eyeballs had been removed from their sockets and replaced with those of an animal’s. They were out of place on her face, staring up at the overhead bed canopy with an inhuman glassiness that burned itself into Yan Zheyun’s brain.

He would be seeing this in his nightmares for weeks to come.

The wave of nausea that crashed upon him swelled without a warning. He only managed to turn away from Imperial Physician Fu before he was heaving up acrid bile.

Foggily, he had the disjointed thought that it was a good thing they hadn’t yet had dinner. Otherwise the contents of his stomach would be even more disgusting.

"Ah Yun? Ah Yun!"

An arm steadied him around the shoulders and his hair was swept back from his face. He tried to turn away, not wanting Liu Yao’s fingers to come into contact with his mouth before he had a chance to rinse it, but his husband gently cupped his cheeks and wiped his lips for him.

"I’m fine," Yan Zheyun croaked, when Imperial Physician Fu was called over to check on him. "Your Majesty shouldn’t dawdle on my account."

The arm around him tightened to the point where it was almost bruising. Yan Zheyun could tell that ’emperor’ and ’husband’ was warring within Liu Yao for precedence. It wasn’t a pleasant decision to have to make and Yan Zheyun made it for him.

Wrapping an arm around Liu Yao’s waist in a gesture that lacked such decorum it made Xi Momo’s eyes bulge, Yan Zheyun said, "Imperial Physician Fu, please commence your report."

The old gentleman, who was also rather taken aback by Yan Zheyun’s sudden display of proprietary behaviour, startled at being called and gave a bow by reflex.

"As Imperial Noble Consort Yue wishes. Your Majesty, with Xi Momo’s assistance, this humble subject has looked into the matter of Imperial Comcubine Hui’s passing and discovered a number of issues. Firstly, the gold body (1) is still warm and flaccid, so the death is fairly recent. Secondly..."

At this, he paused and exchanged a nervous glance with Xi Momo.

It was Xi Momo who spoke up in the end.

"Reporting to Your Majesty and to Yue Langjun...Imperial Concubine Hui has just had relations of the flesh (2) with a man."

Yan Zheyun’s mind went blank. Under Liu Yao’s darkening expression, Xi Momo’s head hung even lower.

"This old servant has checked for evidence of...coercion...one cannot say for certain but it appears to be rather unlikely..."

Whoever Imperial Concubine Hui had last been with had been a gentle lover. The room was neat with no signs of a struggle. The guards and servants pleading for their lives reported hearing no suspicious sounds. Imperial Concubine Hui had dismissed her maidservants and asked to be alone.

Either the perpetrator hadn’t required force to make her succumb to his whims or she had been a willing participant. Night hadn’t even properly fallen and Liu Yao had been cuckolded in name by someone who had waltzed in and out of what should have been the safest place for an emperor but was now the crime scene of a brutal murder.

Liu Yao looked a hair’s breadth away from committing one of his own.

If only they had modern technology. Semen samples and other forms of DNA evidence in this day and age were completely useless.

"Xi Momo, escort Attendant Zhang to an empty side palace and keep an eye on her. Find out how many people she told about Imperial Concubine Hui."

Xi Momo’s idea of escorting was to physically heft the unconscious girl up into a rough hold and wrestle her out of the room. Yan Zheyun soon found out why Liu Yao didn’t wish for any outsiders to be present.

When Gracious Consort Yao strode in with brisk steps, he was clad in crimson uniform and lacking his usual charming smile. This wasn’t the time for jokes and the secret captain of the brocade guard evidently knew it because his handsome face was deadly serious as he knelt down before his liege.

"Cao Mingbao, pass down this sovereign’s edict," Liu Yao said, his jaw set so tightly Yan Zheyun could see the veins in the sliver of neck above his robes collar popping. "All concubines and their respective servants are to remain in their palaces supervised by the Eastern Depot. Without this sovereign’s further orders, no one is to leave any of the gates leading out of the inner palace. The Yulin Army led by Deputy Commander Cui are to remain on standby to facilitate the brocade guard’s investigations into whether the intruder had any accomplices. Yao Siya!"

Gracious Consort Yao saluted. "This subject is present!"

"This sovereign commands you to lead the interrogation." There was a vicious glint in Liu Yao’s eyes. "Leave no stone unturned. If this sovereign discovers at a later date that we let one get away, you’ll make up for the headcount with your own."

"As Your Majesty commands!"

Without further ado, those who have received their instructions bowed and left one by one to carry out Liu Yao orders, until there were none left but Yan Zheyun.

Or so Yan Zheyun thought.

"Ying Yi."

For the longest second, there was no reply. Yan Zheyun was about to ask Liu Yao if he was talking to him when a masked man stepped through the doors noiselessly, making Yan Zheyun jump.

The man dropped onto one knee in front of Liu Yao.

"Master, this humble subordinate is present."

The shadow guard. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Unlike in drama series, Yan Zheyun hadn’t really felt their presence in the inner palace. He knew that they existed because he’d met Ying Qi before, Liu Yao’s body double. But rather than climb the rafters every day or fight off assassins every night, Liu Yao’s shadow guard was a far more understated organisation.

If Ying Qi was the ’Seventh Shadow’, then Ying Yi, meaning ’First Shadow’, was presumably the leader. This style of naming was very wuxia novel. Yan Zheyun wasn’t sure what to think of it.

"Are Ying San and Ying Si still at the respective prince’s manors?"

Ying Yi’s gaze darted over to Yan Zheyun but he didn’t hesitate to speak.

"In response to Master, none of us have left our posts."

"Good. Ying Er is to remain with the ninth prince and protect him at all costs. Ying Wu is to report back any suspicious behaviour from Yongkang Palace. Ying Liu and Ying Qi are to remain with this sovereign and Imperial Noble Consort Yue." Liu Yao squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, his gaze had turned coldly resolute.

"How many secret passages in the inner palace and imperial city are you familiar with?" he asked.

"In response to Master, this humble subordinate knows of thirty-three, of which seven lead out of the inner palace and two of the imperial city."

Liu Yao nodded. "There are more than that. This sovereign used to believe that I knew of all those in existence." The slight smile pulling at his lips was self-deprecating. "Now it appears this sovereign stands corrected."

Yan Zheyun’s eyes widened. The mansion his parents owned had one secret passage leading to a panic room but it had never been used for the duration he’d lived there during his childhood. This was why the idea hadn’t occurred to him. But if a 21st century wealthy family had installed such a safety feature for a rainy day, what more an imperial clan, who were high-risk targets of assassination and rebellion?

"This sovereign commands you to lead the remaining members of the shadow guard in search of a secret passage linking Xueyu Palace or its vacinity to outside the inner palace...or more likely, the imperial city." Liu Yao’s eyes narrowed. "Start checking from here and also from the bamboo forest."

"As Master commands."

This time around, when Ying Yi departed, Yan Zheyun gave Liu Yao a small tired smile. "I’m guessing we’ve never really been alone, have we?"

Liu Yao touched his face, his thumb pushing lightly into the dimple Yan Zheyun knew he loved to kiss. "I promise, they don’t eavesdrop when they shouldn’t."

Yan Zheyun didn’t think too hard about the voyeuristic implications of having a 24/7 security detail before the invention of soundproofing. Even if they did have that option, it probably wouldn’t be safe anyway. Couldn’t have an emperor being murdered by his concubine during sexy times without the shadow guard being able to hear him asking for help. Not all screaming was equal.

"Ah Yao," he said, directing his mind back to important matters. "May I have assistance from the Western Depot?"

Liu Yao pulled him in for a hug. "You can have whatever you want," he murmured. "What would you like them to do for you? Sing and dance? I can order them to even if Supervisor Liu might attempt to stab us both in our sleep after."

"This consort’s husband is starting to sound like King Zhou of Shang (3)," was Yan Zheyun’s wry answer. Ever since he realised there was some but not all historical overlap between his world and Liu Yao’s, he’d made a point to check who had once existed in both their timelines.

"That’s who they wish for me to become," Liu Yao said. "Isn’t that why they’ve gone to such lengths to portray you as an evil fox spirit concubine?"

Yan Zheyun laughed. "If I were a fox spirit with a choice," he said distantly, "I would not wish to spend my days playing politics. Is the lush green of the forest not alluring? How about the verdant rolling plains or the misty peaks of mysterious mountains?"

He felt Liu Yao sigh.

"Ah Yun." The voice by his ear was smaller, more uncertain than any emperor should be. Heart aching, Yan Zheyun tried to pull back to see Liu Yao’s face but Liu Yao didn’t let him.

"My Ah Yun, if you wish to leave..."

Liu Yao didn’t complete his sentence but Yan Zheyun understood what he was reluctant to say.

He gave Liu Yao an admonishing slap on the back, hard enough to convey his dissatisfaction but not hard enough to cause any pain.

"All this consort has done is ask for the Western Depot to assist me in gathering information from the servants and already Your Majesty wishes to send me away?"

"You know that’s not what I mean."

"If it’s not to punish me, then this will be the last you ever mention of me leaving," Yan Zheyun replied firmly. "Ah Yao, you said before that you want me to be your empress. From that day onwards, my only place has been by your side. This is where I stand while alive and this is where they will bury me when I die."